The Madras High Court on Tuesday declared the notification for civic polls in the state, scheduled for October 17 and 19, as null and void, holding that it violated the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Election Rules.

AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday exhorted her partymen to explain the development work and welfare schemes of her government, the party's electoral promises including freebies and remind people of the "unholy" alliance between the DMK and Congress.